iPhone 5 & iOS 6 data problem leaves owners with sky high bills

It’s been around four weeks now since Apple released the iPhone 5 and updated the operating system that runs on its iOS Devices. Things have not exactly gone smoothly for the company since then though, and now we have news that an iPhone 5 and iOS 6 data problem leaves owners with sky high bills.

It is being reported by The Guardian that users with the iPhone 5 or have updated their older models to iOS 6, have seen their mobile phone bills soaring because of increased data usage. This is believed to be down to a bug in iOS 6 and how the software switches between Wi-Fi and 3G connections.

Some users have found that they have used large amounts of data in only a few days, where before upgrading from iOS 5 only used a small amount of data. In the UK many data plans only allow users 500MB of data each month, so this problem has pushed these users way over their data allowances.

There is a thought that a bug within Apple’s iTunes Match service may be causing the problem, as this allows users to download their own music from the Internet to their handset via 3G or Wi-Fi, as well as some of the other iCloud services that allow for synchronisation such as iCloud documents, and the Safari browser.

One user said on his Twitter account that he had gone from using 500MB of data a month to a massive 2.7GB, but originally believed the increased data usage was down to a switch to Orange. The user has iTunes Match switched on but is set to only use a Wi-Fi connection for downloading.

There have been some users reporting that the feature continues to download data even when they move away from a Wi-Fi connection. A user that is a British software developer that owns an iPhone 4 running iOS 6 reported seeing downloads continue via a 3G connection even though the option was switched off for iTunes Match.

His data usage had gone up from around 140MB each month to over 300MB in under that time, and another user hit with the same problem phoned Apple about the issue who replied ‘that’s how it is’. The company issued a note to customers in the US on Verizon about the problem and said the issue had been fixed, but it seems the problem is continuing for users in the UK at least.

Not all users that have seen a big leap in data usage use iTunes Match, which may point to other services such as iCloud syncing of photos or documents, or the Safari browser using data without the user knowing.

This latest problem follows a variety of problems affecting the iPhone 5 and iOS 6, earlier today we told you about a date a time problem affecting the iPhone 5, and last week another new problem with the handsets screen surfaced.

After activating my wife’s iPhone 5 we received messages from AT&T that she was 65% in her data plan. My wife has never had a smartphone so she really doesn’t not use everything the phone offers but mainly Facebook. According to the wireless provider she had used up 3328 MB. in 3 days. A week later now she is at 5921MB. So who is responsible for this ridiculous bill I have coming?.

Believe it or not. !!!!! Verizon is to blame for all this bug wifi and 3G connection.
I recently dump Verizon services and went to AT&T . Ever since I disconnect the service my Wifi has been excellent . This company’s are playing with our money for the longest, and ask why ??? They are making (VZW500) to the top!!. iOS 6 has become a nightmares and pretty much carriers are not helping at all . If this OP can send this message to public it probable that careers had to be force to pay less for services and get what everyone is paying for. Therefor I don’t blame Android and Apples market , people’s needs to go after their careers !!!!! ASAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You have to call your provider and complain every month until this is fixed. Although I went over my limit last month Verizon didn’t bill me for it. But I had called 611 twice to complain so I was on record.

It’s not only Verizon. I have 4 iphones on my AT&T account. 2 are running iOS 6. The other two are running iOS5. The two phones running iOS6 went from using about 2-300MB a month to using about 2-3 GB each. We are on wi-fi most of the time.

I’m in the UK on a 500Mb plan and noticed within 2 days that my Wifi was not connecting when I was right next to my router. For a couple of weeks had to remember to switch off Cellular data as soon as I got in my house or it continued using data. Tried every single fix and the one that finally worked for me was deleting all my safari data (having already reset network setting, etc)

Some still have a problem but Apple have gone down in my opinion because they’re still ignoring a problem that many users have (check their own support forums). Guess they’re only worried about their image – deploying more resources in PR to keep the bad press at bay, than actually acknowledging & fixing said problem.
Can’t blame Jobs for this but I don’t think this would have happened on his watch. Certainly would NOT have dragged on for so long.
I’m on O2 (UK), 4GS, 16Gb. iOS6.0

I have had iphones since they first came out and suddenly in the last two months i have had messages from 02 saying that I had already used up 85% of my allowance early on in the month, yet I’m not doing anything different. I don’t have itunes match switched on what else can it be?

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